Jackson could lose $133 million under Gov. Scott's budget plan

Gov. Rick Scott’s proposal to pay less to hospitals to control spiraling Medicaid costs drew skepticism from some lawmakers and hostility from hospitals Thursday.

Scott’s plan is central to his $66 billion budget proposal, and ensures that his own history as CEO of a for-profit hospital chain that paid a record $1.7 billion in fines for Medicare fraud would attract new attention.

Explaining Scott’s plan to legislators, senior aides touted the governor’s background as having built Columbia/HCA into the nation’s biggest and most profitable hospital network. Story here.

Meanwhile, Jackson Health System stands to lose $133.5 million in Medicaid funds under the proposed budget of Gov. Rick Scott, according to a study released Thursday by the Safety Net Hospital Alliance of Florida.

That would make Jackson the biggest loser among the state’s hospitals as the governor attempts to balance the budget by reducing reimbursement rates for the state-federal insurance for the poor. Scott is also suggesting that the maximum allowable in-patient days that Medicaid will pay will be reduced from 45 to 23, the alliance said.

The alliance analysis estimated Memorial Healthcare in South Broward could lose $58 million, Broward Health in North Broward could lose $42 million and Miami Children’s could lose $34 million. Story here.